On Monday, Jordan Stout signed a rookie contract estimated to be worth nearly $4.4M, according to SportRac.com.
This signing was no surprise to fans following the departure of Ravens legend Sam Koch, who announced his retirement nearly a month ago after playing 16 seasons in Baltimore. With Stout earning the #1 spot, he will definitely have big shoes to fill at the punter position this upcoming season.
Stout was the first punter off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft, having been picked in the fourth round at 130th overall. The early timing of this pick was not the only part that surprised fans, as many suspected “Punt God” Matt Araiza from San Diego State to be the first punter to go. However, after looking at the two punters side by side, it is clear why Eric DeCosta and the rest of the front office picked Stout on draft day.
In his career at Penn State, Stout had a net average of 44.5 yards per punt. His average hang time was 4.36 seconds, highest among punters of this rookie class. Stout also proved his versatility in college, serving as a holder for field goal operation in most of the 2020 season before stepping in to kick them himself the following year. He ended the 2021 season as the Big Ten’s Punter of the Year.
With Sam Koch choosing to accept his new role as a mentor in Baltimore, it will be exciting to see how Stout develops as a player throughout the course of this year.
I just wanted to send out a huge congratulations to Sam Koch on a legendary career. Looking forward to the opportunity to learn from @Sam_Koch4
— Jordan Stout (@JORDANSTOUT92) May 19, 2022
When asked about Stout in his first press conference following retirement, Koch told reporters: “I’m going to try to teach him everything I have. I’m going to put everything I have into making him the best punter this league has seen.”
Although we won’t be seeing him on the field anymore, Koch will continue to impact this Ravens organization as he passes the torch to Stout, teaching him the tips and tricks that earned him a Super Bowl ring and brought him to legend status in Baltimore. It will be bittersweet seeing this new kicking squad in action come August, but fans should certainly feel amped up for what’s on the horizon.
Stout’s signing leaves three of the Ravens’ draft picks still unaccounted for: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, OL David Faalele, and OLB David Ojabo. Now that we’re just three months short of the regular season, it will be interesting to see what’s in store for these three players as the Summer progresses.
